Looking at what we had compared to what we have
by curturr1423
Summary: This is a future fic that will follow the four "liars" with their families in their adult lives. It will have a lot of drama and deal with certain "questionable" themes, so please take caution. Rated T for subject matter and some light language. I own nothing but my original characters and story lines. Please give it a chance. (Canon mostly)
1. Meet the Cavanaughs

Spencer Cavanaugh sat on the wooden coffee table opposite her husband, Toby, waiting for her girls to come sluggishly down the stairs. The first one down was their youngest,10 year old Lacey. She had her hair up in a tight bun and she was wearing a black leotard and pink ballet tights, She was an extremely dedicated dancer, especially for someone of such a young age.

"Hey sweetheart, take a seat while we wait for your sisters." The three sat in silence for another moment or two until the two eldest Cavanaugh girls walked into the spacious living room.

"Girls take a seat." Toby said in his soft, comforting voice. Camilla the oldest sat in between Lacey and her other younger sister, Natalie, and all three girls looked up expectantly at their parents awaiting whatever lecture their parents had prepared for this week's family meeting.

"So guys, your mother and I have some news for you and it isn't easy for either one of us to say." Toby looked for comfort in his wife's eyes and found nothing but dead space and cold despair. It wasn't often that Toby and Spencer were unhappy so the girls knew something really terrible must have happened.

Is it Grandma?" Lacey said breaking the silence

"No sweetie, grandma's fine. But, this is about Quimby." Spencer went over to the couch and picked up her rather tiny 10-year-old and placed her on her lap. Quimby was the family dog, a yellow lab that had wandered into their yard years ago as a puppy, before Lacey was even born; actually Natalie had just been born. The now, 14-year-old grabbed her older sisters hand and looked into her mother's eyes. Spencer's voice quivered as she said her next sentence "Quimby was, uh, he was hit by a car. Your father found him when he came home today. I'm so sorry girls; I know how much you loved that dog, and how much he loved you all. This is hard, I know and it's okay to cry. This is a hard loss." Spencer stopped talking when Lacey placed her face into her chest and started unloading heavy sobs into her mother. Natalie sat back in disbelief as Camilla placed a hand on her father's knee. It was painfully still in the room for a long while until Toby's soft voice broke the nearly impenetrable silence

"So we wanted to ask you guys if we should bury the poor guy or have him cremated? I know it is a terrible decision to have to make, but we thought you girls were responsible enough to be a part of this decision, after all he was your dog too." None of the girls said anything "You don't have to give us an answer now, we know it is a lot to digest. Mull it over, and let us know later." Spencer was rubbing comforting motherly circles on Lacey's back until her little head popped up

"What time is it?" she said in a hurried panic

4:13, why?" Natalie answered looking at her cell phone

"I have to be at the studio no later than 4:25." She looked up at her mother

"Sweetie, I think Miss Laura will make an exception for your absence in this case." Spencer said trying to calm her high strung little girl down.

"No mom! I can't miss today, we have a competition this weekend and if I do well today, I will be able to do my solo finally!" She said running around grabbing her pointe shoes and her Rosewood Dance Co. bag embroidered with her name on the side.

"What? You didn't tell me that, sweetie that's great!" Spencer said whipping her head around at her daughter's news.

"Yeah and then I can be just like Cami!" Camilla was 16 years old and Lacey's leading role model. She was the eldest Cavanaugh girl and her and Lacey dance for the same company. Camilla was an incredibly talented dancer and had a remarkable relationship with both of her sisters. The three girls represented the relationships that Spencer and Toby wanted so badly with their siblings when they were younger.

"Mom, I'll take her." Camilla stood up also in a leotard and a high bun, not as neat as her sister's.

"Are you sure? I don't mind." Camilla grabbed her dance bag

"Do you mind bringing me to Aunt Aria's on the way too?" Camilla nodded to Natalie and they started out the door. Camilla nodded uncertainly towards her father who hadn't moved from his place on the couch, holding Quimby's collar

"We'll be back later." The girls walked out the door and once again the house was silent aside from one lone sob from Toby.


	2. Meet the Fitz's and The River's

A few days later…

The Fitz family sat around their rather large wooden dinner table. Ezra and Aria next to one another at one end and Leila, their 16 year old sat on one side and Granger, their 14 year old son on the other.

"So kids, how was your day?" Granger pushed his food around on his plate and slipped a piece of meat to the dog, Greenleaf. Leila sat up a little straighter in her chair and smoothed her dress and hair, cleared her throat and said

"Well, I was selected for the Nelson Grant." Aria jumped out of her chair and ran to give her daughter a hug

"You're kidding! They never give that to an underclassman!"

"Sorry, dad's a little behind here, what is the Nelson grant?" Ezra asked thoroughly confused as Granger sat in silence, hung his head lower and rolled his eyes.

"Dad, the Nelson Grant is a scholarship for art students. If I get it again next year it could mean a full ride to college." Ezra's eyes bugged out of his head as he walked over and hugged his daughter. After all the excitement they all took their respective seats back at the dinner table.

"So Grange, buddy how was school for you today?" he took a look at his older sister and then back down into his lap and all he did was shrug

"Alright, I guess." Ezra and Aria exchanged knowing glances. They knew that their son had been having a bit of a tough time at school. He didn't exactly fit in with the Rosewood crowd. He had been acting a bit differently as of recent and everyone, including his best friend Natalie Hastings, had noticed. After dinner Granger was sitting in his desk chair staring blankly at his chemistry textbook when his phone beeped

NEW TXT MSG

From: Nat

Hey! I just heard that the drama

Club chose to do your original

play! Why didn't you tell me?!

Granger let out a half smile as he started to type out a response, if there was one talent that she had, it was making him smile.

NEW TXT MSG

To: Nat

Thanks and you know as the

Play wright I have some say

In the casting, what do ya say?

You up for it?

NEW TXT MSG

From: Nat

Totally! What did I do for

Such a great best friend?

He let out a light scoff as he read and reread the message

Caleb Rivers pulled rather quickly into the Rosewood day parking lot, a place where he spent a lot of his time lately. He stalked into the principal's office

"Hi, I was called in about my daughter, Decker Rivers."

"Oh, yes Mr. Rivers, right through that door please." Caleb walked into the small office to see his daughter sitting in her usual chair and Principal French in his chair

"Ah, Caleb welcome back"

"Richard, good to see you again." Decker spent three to four days a week in the principal's office for afternoon detention, no doubt, she took after her father. She was a natural born trouble maker, whether it was for pure fun or if there was a deeper issue only she knew. Decker sat in her leather jacket and matching boots, with her fierce scowl. Caleb took the empty seat next to his daughter

"So what are the offenses this time?"

"Blatant misconduct and back talk, on top of 18 missing homework assignments, I think that may be a new record at Rosewood Day." Caleb sat in pure disbelief; how he and Hanna raised such a disobedient daughter he would never know. Principal French continued "So the verdict is a month of detention and extra credit assignments that must be completed in order for her to pass her classes." Caleb shook Principal French's hand

"As well as a nice long grounding, so you'll have all that free time to spend doing extra credit work. You'll be doing so well in school people will think you're a Hastings. Now get your butt in that car, we are going home. Thanks again Richard, I'm so sorry." Caleb and Decker rode to Rosewood Junior High in silence, every once in a while Caleb would shoot a disappointed glare or let out a heavy sigh. The silence was broken by Camren, Decker's younger brother getting into the car.

"Hey dad, hey spawn of Satan. I heard you got your ass handed to you by Principal French again today." Decker whipped her head around to look into the back seat of Caleb's SUV

"What? How did you hear about that?"

"Hunter told me"

"Well who told him?"

"Dylan"

"How does he know?"

"Camilla texted him"

"Oh did she? Remind me to kill her later." Caleb butted into the conversation

"Why are you so worried about everyone knowing you got into trouble? It happens basically every day." Caleb had a slightly passive aggressive tone and the digs at her made her a little self-conscious and angry "So Cam, how did try outs go today?"

"Dad, do you even need to ask? They went great! Me and Hunter have it in the bag! This team is ours this year!" When they arrived home Decker was the first one out of the car and up the front steps and soon she disappeared inside. Camren struggled a bit with his lacrosse bag and Caleb stopped to help him

"What's her problem?"

"Oh son, if only I knew."


	3. Meet the SmithField family

Lexxie and Landon both sat in the back seat of Emily's black SUV with headphones in their ears and focused expressions on their faces traveling to an independent swimming and diving competition. Their parents, Emily and Amelia sat in the front seat occasionally looking back at their twins getting a kick out of how similar their kids were to Emily in their competitive ways

"So kids, do you think you're ready?" Amelia said breaking them out of their zone. Landon gave his classic smirk

"Oh yeah, I killed it yesterday at my training session, I'm so going to get it today." He let out a slight giggle of confidence and then put one ear plug back in as he looked at his sister who did not look as enthused as he was

"What about you Lex?" Emily asked in a soft comforting voice

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm excited." She placed her head back onto the head rest as her world continued to spin. She convinced herself that it was just car sickness and she would be fine once they got to the pool. She had to be fine, there were going to be college and profession scouts there, she had to perform. Emily pulled her car into the parking lot at the pool and Landon jumped out and grabbed their matching Rosewood Swim Team bags. They entered the huge swim hall and went to their perspective locker rooms to change into their swim suits.

The announcer came over the PA announcing all girl competitors to report to pool A and all boys to pool B. Emily went to A and Amelia to B, they split up as always. Landon was up for diving first and Lexxie had to do her freestyle swim, but she could barely see straight, when she got her eyes to focus, they set on Emily's eyes. She was going to do this, and do it well, even if it killed her.

The shot went off and all the swimmers dove into the pool paddling their arms and legs as fast as they could. As soon as Lexxie hit the water she became extremely disoriented and she didn't know which way was up or down. She stopped paddling and tried to get her footing in the five foot pool. She stood finally and tried to get out of the pool as fast as possible. Emily watched as her daughter jogged out of the pool and into the locker room. She started getting sick and Emily rushed in after her and took off her swim cap and wrapped her in a towel. After she was feeling better she changed back into her sweats and sat alone in the locker room. She slammed her fist into a locker and dented the side of it. She blamed herself completely for her own personal screw up and knew that this would just be one more thing Landon would be able to hang over her head.

**Below is the link to my Polyvore sets, just a look at the styles that I have in mind for each of the characters while i'm writing.**

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**From now on i'll post the individual links for each chapter**

**Also, please review and let me know what you think or let me know if you have any ideas that you would like to see in the story and I will try my best to work it in there. Thanks!**


	4. Mess with one, you mess with all

Rosewood Day even though it was full of preps and prudes had somewhat of a reputation for being a bit of a rough and tumble place to go to school. No one knew that better than Granger Fitz. It wasn't enough that he had a weird name and wore glasses and sat in the front of the class room, he also was a writer for the school's drama club and had only one friend.

Lunch was the worst because Natalie wasn't in his lunch period and he had to sit alone making him an easy target for jocks and bullies.

"Well hey there…" a rough voice sounded behind him and he jumped a little bit "so queer, what's that you got there? Some piano music?" Dan carpenter was the captain of the football team; he grabbed Granger's sheet music he was finalizing for the first rehearsal for his show today. He ripped it in half and dropped it on the floor "woops," Granger put his hands into fists as he stood up "What? did I hurt your feelings? Maybe you should call your boyfriend to come defend your honor…" he let out an awful laugh as he walked away. Granger followed him into the hallway

"Hey man! What's your problem with me? I've never done anything to you."

"You want to know what my problem with you is, it's the fact that you're a pansy, and I don't like pansies."

"What?" at this point Dan was using his size to tower over Granger and his small stature

"Listen queer why don't you just come out of the closet already and stop being such a little cowardly bitch. You're not fooling anyone."

"Why does this even-" he was cut off by a fist to the face and then three or four more before two other guys ripped Dan off of him. He didn't move for a minute or two, he couldn't believe that any of that just happened.

A little while later, Granger sat holding an ice pack over his face as he sat in silence in the nurse's office. Still in disbelief, he was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard his mother's voice

"Hi I'm here for Granger Fitz." She walked into the room and placed a hand on his back "Sweetie, what happened?" Granger hopped off the bed and walked straight out of the room without saying a word.

Meanwhile on the other side of Rosewood Day Lexxie, Leila, Decker and Camilla lay in the gym stretching.

"Hey did you hear about Lexxie Fields at her swim competition?" She slid her finger across her throat "She totally choked." The four girls overheard another girl in the class talking a few feet away

"You know what Molly? Why don't you mind your own business?" Decker stood up from her circle and towards Molly. Lexxie sat back with a slightly defeated look on her ace

"Decker, I'm on the swim team, and if we have a member who can't handle the pressure of competing that is all of our business." Decker got a little closer

"Yeah well, when bitches run their mouths about my best friends, that's _my_ business."

"Yeah well I would watch out because I don't see your 'best friends' jumping up to protect you when people talk about you…"

"Yeah? Like who?" Molly let out a scoff and took one final step towards decker

"For example, me." Decker pulled her fist all the way back and smacked the toothy smirk right off her over concealed face. She felt the contact sting her hand but she jumped on top of her and kept going, one punch after another until Lexxie and Camilla pulled her off of Molly

"You crazy bitch! What the hell?" Molly screamed as she wiped blood off of her mouth and nose, Decker was still yelling at her.

Lexxie, Cami, Leila and Decker found themselves sitting next to Dan Carpenter in the Principal's office that afternoon

"I don't even know why I'm here, I didn't bitch slap her." Lexxie said nervously, using her very seldom swear word

"Come on Lex, We're all in this together. Decker stood up for you so now it's time for us to stick up for her." Camilla said firmly as she placed a hand on Decker's knee "That looks pretty swollen, you should get that looked at." She gestures towards Decker's right hand.

"Mr. Carpenter, Principal French will see you now." Dan walked into his office as Granger walked out and he slammed into his shoulder.

"Granger what the hell happened?" Leila jumped out of her seat and the other three followed her

"Him." Is all he said as he held a towel up to his broken nose and walked down the hallway into the nurse's office. The girls waited in silence until Aria, Emily, Hanna and Spencer walked in, all at the same time.

"Well would you look at that, the fearsome foursome together again." Aria allowed her humor to get the best of her until she walked towards the nurse's office to deal with her other child and left the others to discipline theirs.

**Polyvore set for the chapter: ** chapter_four/set?id=59010560

Please review! It would mean the world to me! And thanks for reading!


	5. And they were all content to be so

Sunday night dinners were a time old tradition by now. This week was Spencer's turn to host it. As always the parents were sitting around the table chatting and drinking. Landon, Camren, Dylan and Hunter (Melissa's sons) were in the backyard playing catch with their lacrosse sticks. The girls; Decker, Camilla, Lexxie and Leila were in Camilla's bedroom and Lacey, Granger and Natalie were watching t.v. in the living room.

In Camilla's bedroom,

"So D. How's the hand?" Leila asked while drawing a fancy design on her best friend's cast.

"Eh, it hurts a little, but it was so worth it to see that bitch get what she deserves."

"Thanks for sticking up for me, you really didn't have to do that. I feel bad that you got suspended on my account" Decker cut her off by placing her good hand on her back

"Trust me Lex, it wasn't all for you, I got plenty of satisfaction out of handing it to her." The girls shared a laugh. Molly Bensinger had been terrorizing them since first grade and frankly, all of the girls had been surprised that it had taken Decker this long to clock her.

"Oh Lay, I heard about your grant, that's awesome! Congratulations!" Camilla said cheerfully changing the subject. Leila beamed proudly at her three best friends. The four girls had been together since birth; they were closer than sisters and told each other everything. They each resembled certain parts of their mothers which made them so compatible. They loved one another and all four families were just that, family. Of course there were times that they got on each other's nerves just as sisters do, but they were always there in times of need like when Quimby died, they had an undeniable chemistry.

Downstairs Natalie was lying across the couch with her legs draped over her best friend. They were flipping through the channels trying to find something to watch. Lacey was sitting in the recliner across the room with a blank expression on her face.

"Hey Lace, you okay?" Natalie almost shouted while tossing a pillow at her little sister to snap her out of her hypnotic state. All of a sudden she burst into tears, without missing a beat Natalie shot up from the couch and over to Lacey's spot in the chair. She scooped her up into a bear hug so her tiny frame was on her lap

"What's the matter?" She whispered in a soothing voice into her ear

"I miss Quimby" the death of their family dog hit them hard, but Lacey had been taking it the hardest

"Aww, baby it's okay. He's in a better place now, Doggy Heaven. He's off chasing squirrels and scratching his butt on trees." Lacey let out a slight giggle and wiped her eyes

"What?"

"Oh come on you know how much he used to love to do that." Lacey sighed and leaned back into her older sister's tight and comforting embrace. Toby walked into the living room to announce dinner, but was alarmed when he saw his youngest in tears, a rare occurrence.

"What's going on in here?" Lacey walked over to her dad and placed her small hand in his large callused one

"Nothing, we're all fine." Natalie was constantly amazed by the strength of this 10 year old. Granger wrapped his arms around Nat and gave a mini hip check

"You're a good big sister, you know that right?" Natalie smiled

"It took 10 years but I think I'm getting there."

The entire family sat down for dinner in the dining room at various table and chair sets. It was loud and chaotic but none of them would have it any other way. All 21 of them were perfectly content to be there in the company of their loved ones.

"Alright everyone raise your glasses for a toast." Spencer stood up in front of all the people she loved "I would like to toast to this time with family, also to the strength we were shown this week, between tragedies and tests of loyalty. I would also like to toast to this week's accomplishments and good news, Leila and Granger both having big news. I know I speak for all of the parents when I say we could not be more proud of all of our kids and I am happy to be here for another weekly dinner. To family!" Everyone raised their glass and clinked them together. Aria stopped and looked at her son

"What news?"

"So Grange, buddy what's the big news you failed to share with us?" Granger dropped his fork down and made a moment of intense eye contact with his mom

"Mom, it's not a big deal."

"Well it must be something sort of big if everyone else knows except me and your father." Aria gave a hurt look

"Well the drama club decided to perform my original musical this year for their play." Aria and Ezra's eyes bugged out of their heads

"Sweetie, that's fantastic!" Aria clapped her hands together in excitement "Why didn't you tell us, that's exciting!" Granger looked over at his sister, not wanting to say the real reason but knowing he was an awful liar

"Well, it was the day that Lay found out about her grant and you guys were so excited about that and by the time it was my turn to tell you my news it just didn't seem all that important." Leila dropped her eyes down towards her lap and Aria and Ezra exchanged saddened looks with one another. The room was silent for a moment until Caleb broke it

"So, who wants more rolls?" he jumped up pushing his chair back behind him. Nobody said a word as he exited the dining room. Natalie slipped her hand into Granger's underneath the table as they all finished their dinners in relative silence.

After dinner all of the kids went to gather their stuff as the parents said their goodbyes. It was around 9 p.m. and all of the kids had school tomorrow and plenty of homework to finish

"Hey Cami, do you still want to meet up tomorrow morning to cram in some more study time for that chem test?" Camilla shook her head affirmatively while collecting her school books, and all of her dance clothes and shoes getting ready for her least favorite day of the week.

"You okay?" Leila walked closer to her friend and realized that her eyes were watering and she looked pale. Camilla shook her head up and down again trying to make a good cover up but her efforts were useless. Leila grabbed her and pulled her into a hug

"Are you still upset about Quimby?" Camilla paused and then decided this was the best way out and she shook her head one more time. Leila let her go when she heard Aria's voice from downstairs

"Leila Delaney, come on we don't have all night!" Leila gave one last tentative look towards Cami before leaving her room. Camilla had to be more careful she didn't want anything to get back to her mother.

Later after everyone had left Spencer and Toby took advantage of the rather warm October night, and were sitting on their screened in porch. Spencer was leaning against his chest

"Well, what's a family dinner without a little angst and excitement, right?" Toby said as he kissed the top of her forehead. Spencer let out a single "ha" and then leaned deeper into him

"Mom?"

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	6. Promises, Promises

On the way home Granger sat in silence in the back seat with his headphones on full blast and his forehead against the cool glass of the window. The silence was killing him, more so than anyone knew.

When Hanna, Caleb, Decker and Camren came home, both kids had homework to finish as usual and Hanna had some designs to finish up as well.

"Hey Deck, don't forget to take your pain pills."

"Trust me dad, I won't forget."

"Is it bugging you?"

"Yeah, a little."

"Well think of that pain next time you want to beat someone up." Caleb walked up the stairs and into his room. Decker felt his disappointment every day and has for a while now. She grabbed the bottle and took two pills out… and then took two more and disappeared into her room as well.

"What's up baby?" Spencer walks into the house to find Camilla sitting on the stairs.

"Are you disappointed in me?" Camilla has sadness in her eyes like Spencer had never seen

"What? Of course not, why would you ask me that?" Camilla sat in silence for a moment contemplating her answer

"Because I am"

"Why do you think that is?" Spencer sits down next to her eldest daughter on the stairs and grasps her hand, it is cold and shaky.

"There is a lot in my life that I feel like I can do better at, I could be a better daughter, a better sister, a better student. I don't know, I feel like most of the time I am more of a nuisance than anything else." Her eyes look glassy like she had been or was about to cry. Spencer was a loss for words, blindsided by the words from her little girl. "I'm sorry I let you down." She gets up and heads back to her room.

Spencer decides to let her sleep it off and talk to her tomorrow about everything. She goes back outside and joins Toby again

"Hey what's going on?" Spencer doesn't answer him she just sits on his lap, lays her head on his shoulder and cries. She never wanted any of her girls to feel unworthy or worthless, her whole life she had worked to make sure they were happy and loved. She can't understand why her daughter feels the way she does, but she'll be damned if it continues.

That night, Leila couldn't get the vision of Camilla crying out of her mind. She knew that she was lying too, she just didn't know about what, or why? She knew something was up with her but she couldn't place it.

Camilla was lying in bed, her stomach churning and her brain felt like it was about ready to explode, she could hear her mother and father walking around, she wanted to go see if her mother was okay but her limbs felt like lead and she couldn't seem to lift them up.

The next morning, Camilla walks down stairs and joins her sisters at the island in the kitchen, grabbing only a cup of coffee. She walks around gathering books and homework that is scattered around the room, trying to distract from the fact that she is not having breakfast. Toby is standing over the morning paper making small talk with the two younger girls about after school plans and a test Natalie has today. Spencer walks into the room, looking exhausted. She couldn't stop conversation from echoing through her mind all night. She didn't sleep at all.

"Hey Cami, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Mom, I'm going to be late if I don't leave now, Nat you ready kid?" She says cheerfully with a big smile plastered on her face.

"It will just take a minute, come here." Spencer drags her by the arm into the next room and starts to speak in a whisper "If you need me today, if you need to leave early or just take a breather, call me. I am not kidding Camilla, I need you to be okay. I will not be upset if you need to leave school early today. Do you hear me?"

Camilla just shakes her head and smiles "Mom, I'm fine. I promise you."

"Promise me you'll call?"

"I promise you."


	7. Accidents Happen and Mistakes are Made

The next night after their dance class Camilla, Natalie and Lacey were in the car on their way home. Camilla felt a strange feeling but figured with was just slight dehydration, she hadn't had any water during rehearsal tonight. Her vision was getting blurry, Lacey and Nat were talking quietly and yet their voices were getting louder and louder. She could feel her heartbeat in her stomach and hear it in her ears. The headlights coming towards her were enough to make her sick. She shut her eyes for a split second, it just felt like a blink and then there was contact, a loud crash. With what she wasn't sure, she lost her vision before she could tell.

* * *

Next thing she knew she was in the hospital. Her head was throbbing and her stomach was churning. Spencer was standing beside her bed and gave a look of relief when she opened her eyes. Then she remembered what had happened.

"Mom I am so sorry, I shut my eyes for like half a second and I-"

"Shh, sweetie, just rest we'll talk later." All of a sudden she felt sick and looked around for a bucket and found a small bowl near her, she grabbed it and began to dry heave into it. Spencer ran into the hallway and grabbed the doctor.

"Camilla what have you had to eat today" Camilla thought about the question

"Nothing." Spencer's eyes bugged out of her head. She didn't realize that she hadn't been eating, how could she not realize that?

"Mom, where are the girls?"

"They're with dad, they're okay other than a few bumps and bruises. They're okay. You're the one we're worried about. Why haven't you been eating?"

"I wasn't hungry." The doctor interrupted them

"well, that is the reason you passed out at the wheel and put yourself and your sisters in danger, not to mention taking these medications on an empty stomach can cause nausea and vomiting. We're going to go get you some food and you will eat it." Camilla hadn't been eating because she had taken notice to how she looked in her leotard and tights. The other day she noticed how much smaller the other girls were than her or at least how much smaller she thought they looked.

After Cam had eaten everything on her plate she had fallen asleep and Spencer took this as an opportunity to go talk to Toby about what was going on.

* * *

"Hey baby, what's going on? How is she?" Toby stood up as Spence walked into the waiting room

"She's okay, she's sleeping now the doctor said she has a concussion and a broken nose from the contact to the steering wheel." She looked around and realized her two younger girls were no longer with him "Where are the girls?"

"I called Aria to come pick them up. They're going to stay with her tonight, I figured we could pick them up in the morning and let them have the day off from school, it's been a long night for them." Toby pulled her into a hug but Spencer was too distracted by her own thoughts to notice

"Did you realize she hadn't been eating?" Toby pulled back

"If I had, don't you think I would have mentioned it? She hasn't been eating? For how long? Is that what caused the accident?" Spencer shook her head

"We don't know, probably. She just had a full meal and I'm going to monitor a little more closely, actually I'm going to go check on her now, I'll be right back.

Meanwhile Camilla was not actually sleeping she had pretended and waited for Spencer to leave her alone. Once she had left she looked around until she found a tongue depressor and went into the bathroom. She placed it on the back of her tongue and waited for herself to be sick.

When Spencer walked back into the room she heard noises coming from the bathroom and knocked lightly to make sure Camilla was alright but there was no answer, that made her nervous so she walked right into the bathroom to find her daughter on the floor sticking something down her throat and making herself sick. She stood in the doorway in complete disbelief. Camilla stared right back at her with the same expression on her face.

* * *

Meanwhile at Aria's she had put the kids to bed about an hour ago and her and Ezra were now sitting on the couch in silence staring at the news, by now word of the crash had spread and they were showing pictures of the car and the damage to the area around it. It was painfully quiet until Lacey walked into the living room and stopped in the doorway. Ezra tried to quickly turn the t.v. off

"Hey baby, what's going on?" Aria put her arms out to signal for her niece to join her on the couch

"I can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes I just can see the car going into the tree and I hear Cami scream and then I wake up." She settled deeper into Aria's protective held and Aria placed her chin on the top of her head. They sat rocking back and forth for a minute "Can I call my mom? To say good night?" Aria nodded her head and pulled out her cellphone and hit 2 on her speed dial, it took a few times until Spencer's familiar voice rang through the speaker

"Aria? Is everything okay?" She sounded weird but Lacey didn't pick up on it right away

"Mom it's me."

"Lacey, baby, what are you doing awake?"

"I can't sleep, I'm scared, is Cami okay?" Spencer let silent tears roll down her cheeks as she watched her eldest daughter sleep and listened to her baby on the other end. She mustered up anything she had left in her to answer

"Yeah baby, she's fine. She's sleeping like you should be. Listen can you put your Aunt Aria on the phone? I love you very very very much and I'll see you soon." Spencer couldn't stand lying to her kids but she very well couldn't tell her the truth, not then and not that way.

"Hello?" Aria got on the phone as Ezra took Lacey into the kitchen for something to drink.

"Hey Aria, thank you so much for taking the girls. I-"

"Spencer don't even start you know I adore those girls, I would do anything for you guys. How is Camilla?" Aria's voice was dripping with concern and her face fell when she heard Spencer start sobbing on the other end.

"Honestly? I don't know, she hasn't been eating and today I found her making herself sick, it's more serious than any broken arm, there is something seriously wrong with my little girl and I can't do anything about it."

"Spencer do you want me to come down there? I can-"

"No, thank you. The girls need you, they need their second mother, but I think we're going to be here longer than I intended but if you want Toby could probably come get them and-"

"Nope not at all, I'll call in sick tomorrow and stay with the girls, I'll go grab some of their stuff and we'll have a relaxing day at home. Don't you dare worry about them, they'll be fine here as long as you need."

"Aria, thank you so much, I don't know what I would do without you and Ezra. I love you."

"I love you too, I'll talk to you later and give Camilla a kiss for me."

After they hung up Aria brought Lacey back to the guest bedroom and laid down with her until she fell asleep. For as long as she can remember the Cavanaugh girls had been happy-go-lucky and cheerful almost all of the time, but lately it just seems like they have been drawing all short straws. It couldn't happen to nicer kids and Aria was determined to be any help she could to helping them feel better.


	8. We all need a little healing

The next morning, Aria had made a big breakfast for the kids and decided to let all four of them sleep in and skip school, after the rather eventful and jarring night they had. The first one awake was Leila.

"Good morning Lay."

"Is it?" She asks somewhat harshly while she pours herself a cup of coffee "How is Cam doing?" She looks hopefully at her mother

"Truthfully babe, not too well. She's going to need you and the girls more now than ever, okay?" Leila nods, not really understanding what her mother was trying to tell her but sensing the ominously serious tone in her voice

"Okay." She grabs an apple and heads back up to her room passing Natalie and her brother on her way up the stairs "Morning guys."

"Hey Lay." Natalie is visibly upset and Granger is trying desperately to think of a way to cheer her up. They sit at the kitchen table as Natalie rubs the large cut on her head, the result of her head coming in contact with the window.

"Hey guys are you hungry?" Aria asks the rhetorical question as she places a plate of pancakes down on the table. Granger grabs two and immediately starts drenching them in syrup as Natalie takes one and starts dissecting it like the frog in her biology class.

"Hey Grange, dad is out on the porch why don't you head out there and we'll be out in a sec okay bud?" he nods and grabs his plate and leaves the girls to their conversation "Hey Nat, can I talk to you?" She sits down next to her "How are you doing?" She asks as she examines the gash on her head, Natalie seemingly ignores the question

"There's something serious going on isn't there? That's why we're here and Cam isn't… Did she get worse? Did something else happen?" She is smart, too smart for her own good sometimes and Aria knows she can't lie or outsmart her so she sighs and replies as simply as she can

"She just needs some healing time, that's all. Your parents should be calling soon with an update, but you should try to eat something." Nat shakes her head

"I'm not hungry; I'm just going to go take a shower if that's alright?" Aria nods and kisses Nat on the forehead before she leaves the kitchen.

* * *

Upstairs Leila is sitting at her easel, trying to find inspiration to paint. She is interrupted ny light footsteps in the doorway, she turns around expecting her mother but instead finding a much tinier person, Lacey.

"Hey Lace, come on in." She does as she is told and takes a seat on the plush, lavender and sky blue duvet "What's going on kid?" she asks lightly as she pulls her hair back into a ribbon

"Nothing." She says plainly, but the look on her face shows complex thoughts the ten year old had running through her mind

"Aw, come on you can do better than that. Whatcha thinking about?" she walks over and sits next to the young girl who represented a younger sister to her.

"Did I do something wrong?"

"What do you mean?"

"Was I bad or something? Because all of these bad things keep happening, am I being punished? First, Quimby and then the car accident…" Leila was not expecting this, and she felt a pang of guilt, she had been so caught up in her own emotions that she never stopped to think about Lacey, who must have spent all of last night terrified thinking it was all her fault.

"Lace none of this is your fault. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise okay? Sometimes bad things happen to good people, or animals, that we care about, but it is just the course of nature. Do you believe that everything happens for a reason?" she waits and watches the thought go through her eyes and travel down to her mouth

"Yes, I suppose."

"Well this is no different, if this happened to you and your sisters, there must be a reason, right? Even if we can't see it yet, there is some greater good or bigger purpose that will emerge from this, but right now, we are just too close to the situation to see what that is." Leila stops talking to allow her words to sing into Lacey's mind and perhaps to get herself to believe them as well. Lacey doesn't say anything, she just leans into her 'big sister's' side.

* * *

Spencer had called later in the morning saying that Camilla was allowed visitors and asked if Aria could bring the girls down to see her. Aria, Nat, Lacey and Leila arrived at the hospital and the four of them walked in a silence unlike any other. They reached the waiting room where they had spent a few hours the night before.

"Hey girls" Spencer greeted both of her daughters with huge hugs "Your sister has been dying to see you" they both shoot her a look "sorry poor choice of words, she really wants to see you guys, she's right in there, you can go right in and see her." As they walk the little ways towards the room Lacey reaches up for her big sister's hand and they walk through the heavy door.

"Hey Cam" Natalie says as she walks over and gives her big sister a hug. They hold onto each other for a little while. Lacey has yet to move from the doorway, startled at the appearance of her older sister, she has bruises on her face and it is swollen, from coming into contact with the steering wheel. Lacey stands unsure of what to do, and a little scared to go any closer. Natalie goes over and picks up her much tinier sister and places her on the bed next to Camilla. Lacey slowly turns to look at her sister's face. The make eye contact and she starts to cry a little. Camilla pulls her into a hug

"It's okay Lace, I'm gonna be fine." She rubs her back "I'm gonna be fine, I promise."


End file.
